A Change of Plans
I’ve decided to change the travel plan, and will not visit Ramadi. There are several reasons. I will lose a couple of days transiting to Ramadi, days that can be well spent embedded. Here at the Government Center in Fallujah, the Military Transition Team, the Police Transition Team, and Charlie 1/24 Marines are all in the same compound. I’ve spent some time with the MTT and went on a night raid with Charlie 1/24, and want to interact with these units here in Fallujah. I will provide detailed updates on the missions of the PTT and MTT here in Fallujah in the near future. I hope you will not be disappointed with this decision.
In the News
The Christian Science Monitor’s Dante Chinni writes about my current embed in Fallujah and the blog in general. Mr. Chinni does have some kind words to say, and does encourage people to read. I will state that Mr. Chinni should look at my full writings on Pakistan and Somalia and Afghanistan, and even Iraq, before stating my “posts can sound a lot like government talking points filtered through war stories.” I fail to see how saying we lost western Pakistan to al Qaeda and the Taliban, and Somalia to the Islamic Courts, and failed to subdue al Qaeda in Ramadi and Muqtada al-Sadr, are government talking points. In fact, I’ve made some people in the government very uncomfortable.
Pakistan, The New York Times, and the International Crisis Group
I’m happy to see the New York Times and the International Crisis Group have finally come around on Pakistan. I’ve been discussing the fall of western Pakistan in detail since January of 2006, and wrote almost 60 articles on this subject. It would have been nice to have received some credit for this, particularly from the International Crisis Group, which virtually pirated my work for segments of the report (start at page 22 on). But, as Mr. Chinni notes, my “posts can sound a lot like government talking points filtered through war stories.” If so, what does that make the New York Times and the International Crisis Group?
28 Comments
How cynical the writers are and how jaded as to state that you are writing in government-speak, when they themselves have not ventured into harm’s way.
Also, Bill, isn’t Michael Femento (sp?) embedded in Ramadi right now? If so, perhaps your best location is Fallujah.
Thank you for your updates, I look forward to them.
“I fail to see how saying we lost western Pakistan to al-Qaeda and the Taliban, and Somalia to the Islamic Courts, and failed to subdue al-Qaeda in Ramadi and Muqtada al-Sadr, are government talking points.”
I’ll just say to Mr Chinni this –
Sir, I don’t know where you live. The lead story on your local 6 O’clock news on December 24th will be a house fire.
Hundreds of seemingly independent news editors working at seemingly independent television stations will all come to the same conclusion that the most important local event of the day will be a house fire, even if the house is thousands of miles away.
When you observe this phenomenon, you will come to understand what millions of people already understand, the ‘MSM’ as it is called, has properties amazingly similar to an echo chamber.
Having done my time in the sandbox when Jimmy Carter was president, I can tell you in no uncertain terms, nothing in the Middle East is as it appears on the surface. The subplots are far more important than the main plot.
“I fail to see how saying we lost western Pakistan to al-Qaeda and the Taliban, and Somalia to the Islamic Courts, and failed to subdue al-Qaeda in Ramadi and Muqtada al-Sadr, are government talking points. In fact, I’ve made some people in the government very uncomfortable”
I think Mr. Chinni failed to read fully all your post or he would’ve realized you report factual events. And possible outcomes of those events are touched on. But I’ve never seen you cover the government line. I respect you for that and is why I read your blog. I know you’ll tell the truth even if its not good. I’m glad Mr Chinni covered your efforts however and hope that he takes another look at your past reports. You’re no cheerleader.
It is a military perspective with regards to how diffrent scenarios may unfold in the future based upon current actions in theatre, but definitly not a government one. It is fresh insight that is lacking in MSM accounts.
Soldiers Dad,
That’s a homerun out of the ballpark!
You nailed a large part of the problem. We are in a world war whether we like it or not. We can allow the Islamic fascist to take over country after country, or face them now.
Most people elect to put their heads in the sand, including much of our media.
You wouldn’t be criticized if your work didn’t make a difference, Bill. Keep it up.
Even though this is a military blog about the WoT, which means the events of last month’s elections had no effect on Bill’s main mission, nor will the outcome of the 2008 elections (whoever wins that), one thing is telling :
The leftist media has gotten to the point that anything other than a negative portrayal of the Iraq War has become a ‘right-wing position’. Being simply pro-military and pro-US, yet apolitical, will get Bill attacked at this point.
That means the Intl Crisis Group sounds like government talking points, filtered through war stories, filtered through the hands of an ICG flunky. I realize it might be hard to imagine the government is telling us the truth, but if the person there is reporting the same things maybe it’s true.
Unfortunately most Americans are afflicted with a short memory, and most politicians are blinded by shortsightedness. Consequently, even though we have the ability and resources to get the job done, our resolve is always in question.
Say what you will about Mr.Chinnis op-ed…at least he has brought you to the attention of anti-war people like myself who now will have a chance to read another side of the story and perhaps even change my mind if the arguement and evidence is convincing enough.
Bill Roggio Gets Noticed by the Mainstream Media
Anyone who wants to know what’s happening in Iraq needs to read the work of correspondents who are the ground and embedded with the troops. There is no shortage of such reporting, thanks in no small measure to Bill Roggio
Matahara
“have a chance to read another side of the story and perhaps even change my mind”
matahara, What part of “Death to America” do you not understand?
I routinely read your blog for its honesty and clarity even though you certainly believe in the company line. I am left wing, anti-war (and a vet) and believe that this imperial project will ultimately fail and result in my own personal ruin.
You were the first and only on the Waziristan story (well, maybe there was someone at A-Times). I have always thought the CSM was pretty good but poor Mr. Chinnis missed it by a mile. Cheney/Bush have no interest in putting this story on the news.
Orwell says, “In times of universal deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” We live in those times and you are a revolutionary.
My daughter regularly reads the CSM and she brought my attention to your blog. I served in Iraq during the first year of the war and I have found that the lack of good information on the events in Iraq, even in this globally connected, information soaked society in which we live is very frustrating. I look forward to reading your output, if for nothing else than the different viewpoint it appears to provide.
Bill,
Good stuff stay safe,by the way are you still using my old power shot 110 or did you score
an SLR…
The truth is refreshing; however, few bother to find it, let alone write.
God Bless, Bill! Regards, Dennis
Soldier says, “Because I love my country”,
http://hotair.com/archives/2006/12/12/video-us-troops-on-kerry-the-media-and-iraq/
This links to a video of our troops responding to questions and their thoughts on winning the war, the Media influence and the American people need to stand by them.
They’re all volunteer, sharpest, best trained military in the world. Our media and some politicians routinely put them down. Even here, some comments compare their actions to Nazi Germany. The biggest lie of propaganda ever spoken to our people and is a disgrace.
And I disagree. This is not about Imperial motives. It is about changing the course of the Middle East from one of Radical Hatred, Tyrants, Thugs and Dictatorships that own all the Media and rule with bloody authority against an oppressed people. A people that are indoctrinated into a way of life of continuous hatred, racism, bigotry, violence, suicide, murdering of innocents, honor killings(murder of women), and so many other barbaric notions.
We can decide to turn away and let it continue.
Awesome job Bill, as usual.
I’d love to say that the media just has a different point of view but in my own experiences with these people, which are daily exchanges with multiple MSM members, I’ve found that they almost all live in the bubble of toeing a line that doesn’t stray from the “conventional wisdom” and even worse they have absolutely no clue that people even MIGHT see things differently than those inside the bubble do.
These people lean left, which really isn’t a problem, the denial of the political leanings is the problem, and immediately associate anything negative they previously believe about conservatives, this country and the military into the filter through which they now view this war.
Everything from letting the “Bushlied” meme continue to flat-out promoting that nonsense, to the selective amnesia about how life was in Iraq under Saddam, to the “cold war” between the U.S. and Iraq from Gulf War I to the current war, to all their stories about what a danger Saddam was during the Clinton years that we are all supposed to forget about now. It’s all just very tiresome how these stories are presented from their position of chosen ignorance and readers are supposed to throw away everything we know about Iraq/Saddam now as well as any progress that continues to be made.
Forgive me if I flat-out distrust almost everything these people in the MSM say without triple checking it first and finding out the “real story.”
Open Thread
NewsBusters.org – Exposing Liberal Media Bias
Today’s starters:
Media: Court hearings on FCC’s reinvigorated anti-profanity policy will be televised, meaning the …
Bill, they featured this knucklehead from ICG on NPR this morning. HE reiterated the usual leftist talking points about the war, bush lied, etc… but of course he was “live” from Amman, Jordan! keep up the good work and be safe!
Mark;
“I’d love to say that the media just has a different point of view ”
I think this is exactly the problem. An ethical, professional journalist is not suppose to have a point of view. They are suppose to present the facts objectively. It is the readers that is then suppose to then develop a point of view.
The problem is that that the MSM has developed their own point of view and then presents it as objective facts. The reader then never has the opportunity to develop an independent point of view based on objective facts.
Now the important question that nobody seems to asks: why exactly has the MSM decided to no longer be objective? And what was the decision process that lead them to that point of view?
Bill, you are personally RUNNING RINGS around the entire MSM, as far as informative, substantive war-reporting goes.
You needn’t even defend yourself, your readers know how ridiculous that “government-speak” comment was.
Lisa:
My thoughts exactly.
Bill’s mom
Everybody,
Just got an email from Bill a bit ago. He’s in and out of the field with spotty communications equipment. Please know he is well and thanks all for their prayers and support.
Lisa:
I thank you and everyone for your good thoughts about Bill.
I worry less with each embed. However, this trip I do not have a back-up person who is in daily contact, so I just wait for the next post. I do not want to put any more worry on Jennie’s shoulders. I know that as long as I don’t hear anything negative that he is probably okay.
He was trained well by the Army and he is careful……but I am a mother none the less.
However, unlike the mothers of the many men and women serving long, term, I know Bill will be home for Christmas.
It was just touching to know that we were both thinking the same thing at the same time.
Thanks again.
Bill,
We knew where the meat of the article came from, it’s not the first time NYT has plagarized, & remember Jayson Blair?
Abandoning all hope of government talking points?
It’s not every day that the MSM reviews and reports on blogs, but the Christian Science Monitor’s Dante Chinni took the time to review Bill Roggio’s excellent blogging from Iraq in an article titled “The value of a pro-war blogger’s…